The present invention relates to weigh scales, and more particularly to body weigh scales.
Scales are devices that are used to determine the weight of an object by measuring the gravitational pull exerted on that object. Scales are commonly used to determine the physical amount or quantity of an item, such as a foodstuff, for example.
Body weigh scales can be found in many contemporary homes, usually in a bathroom. For this reason, body weigh scales are often called xe2x80x9cbathroom scales.xe2x80x9d In general, body weigh scales include a load-receiving platform onto which a user steps, and the user""s weight is then displayed somewhere on the scale, for example by a mechanical dial or by a digital readout of the user""s weight. Body weigh scales allow a user to monitor his or her weight, usually before or after a shower, or just after waking up in the morning.
Many body weigh scales are mechanical, spring scales. In a spring scale, a platform is connected to a spring, which either stretches or compresses to balance a load (i.e., a person) placed on the platform. A needle, whose position depends on the extent to which the spring is stretched or compressed, indicates the weight of the load. Some mechanical scales include a pulse counter and a digital display upon which the user""s weight is shown.
Electronic body weigh scales utilize electricity to measure loads. Electronic scales are faster, and generally more accurate, than their mechanical counterparts. A common type of electronic scale uses a strain-gauge load cell. This type of scale has a platform supported by a column, with a strain gauge or gauges fused to the column. A strain gauge is a thin wire whose electrical resistance changes when the wire is stretched or compressed. When a load is placed on the platform, the column and strain gauge are compressed. The corresponding change in resistance of the strain gauge can be used to determine the person""s weight.
Although contemporary body weigh scales work well for their intended purpose, many consumers find the scales to be space-consuming devices. This problem may be particularly evident in small bathrooms, where the body weigh scales may interfere with foot traffic. Storing the scales in an out of the way location may be difficult or inconvenient, because the scales take a lot of valuable storage space. Moreover, many consumers find body weigh scales to be a necessary element for maintaining physical wellness in daily life, and putting a scale in and out of storage may be very inconvenient.
In addition, body weigh scales very often do not blend existing furnishings or decorating schemes. This problem is particularly evident in newer homes, which often have more modern decorating styles. Thus, consumers often would like to not have the body weigh scales visually displayed, but do not want to hassle with getting the scale out of storage, checking weight, and then putting the scale away again.
The present invention is directed to a body weigh scale that mounts into a floor of a room, for example in the floor of a bathroom. In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, the body weigh scale includes a load-receiving tray that is designed to receive a decorator tile matching that of the bathroom or the floor in which the body weigh scale is installed.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, a weighing mechanism of the body weigh scale generates weight information and transmits that weight information to a countertop or wall mounted display. The transfer of data may be through a wireless or wired connection, but preferably is a wireless, radio frequency (RF) communication.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, the display may normally show a clock or another displayed item, and may convert its view to show weight units when a user steps on a platform. Such a display may not only be used with a body weigh scale that is built into a floor, but also may be used with a stand-alone body weigh scale.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, the display may be configured to receive medical information from other medical devices, such as blood glucose monitors, heart rate monitors, or blood pressure monitors. The medical information may be shown by the display, may be received by the display and transmitted to another computer (e.g., at a hospital), or may be stored in the display for later transmission or evaluation. If transmitted at a later time, the data may be accumulated with other data within the display, and the accumulated data may be transmitted to a remote computer.